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Ang Cui is an American security researcher[1] specializing in embedded devices and physical systems. He is the founder and CEO of Red Balloon Security in New York City[2], a security startup which develops new technologies to defend embedded systems against exploitation.[3] Cui is the inventor of Symbiote, a firmware defense technology for embedded devices.[4][5] Cui holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Columbia University.[6][7]

Ang is a former researcher with Columbia University’s Intrusion Detection Systems Lab.[8][9] Cui’s doctoral dissertation, entitled “Embedded System Security: A Software-Based Approach,” focused exclusively on scientific inquiries concerning the exploitation and defense of embedded systems.[10]

Cui has publicly demonstrated security vulnerabilities in widely used commercial and consumer products, including Cisco[11][12] and Avaya VoIP phones[13][14][15], Cisco routers[16][17] and HP LaserJet printers[18][19][20][21]. His research has been presented at industry events including Black Hat Briefings[22][23][24][25], DEF CON conference[26][27], RSA Conference[28], REcon security conference[29] and the Auto-ISAC 2018 Summit[30]. Cui’s security research has also earned numerous industry awards and distinctions, including the 2011 Kaspersky Labs American Cup Winner[31], 2012 Symantec Research Labs Graduate Fellowship[32] and the 2015 DARPA Riser[33].

In 2017, the United States Department of Homeland Security cited his company with the “Crossing the Valley of Death” distinction for the development of a commercially available cyber defense system for critical infrastructure facilities, which was produced following a 12-month DHS funded pilot study to evaluate cyber sabotage risks to the building systems of a DHS Biosafety Level 3 facility.[34][35][36]

Symbiote

Cui is best known for his role in the development of Symbiote, a host-based firmware defense technology for embedded devices.[37]

Symbiote is injected into the firmware of a legacy embedded device where it provides intrusion detection functionality.[38][39][40][41] It does so by constantly checking the integrity of static code and data at the firmware level, in order to prevent unauthorized code or commands from executing. Symbiote is operating system agnostic and is compatible with most embedded devices.[42][43][44] Red Balloon Security has already released Symbiote for commercial printer brands like HP[45] and other devices.

On June 21, 2017, Red Balloon Security announced the launch of Symbiote for Automotive Defense, an automotive version of the standard Symbiote technology, at the Escar USA Conference in Detroit.[46]

In 2016, Popular Science named Symbiote one of the “9 Most Important Security Innovations of the Year.”[47]

HP LaserJet Printers

In 2011, Cui was part of a research effort at Columbia University, directed by Professor Salvatore Stolfo, to examine security vulnerabilities in HP LaserJet printers.[48]

Cui and his fellow researchers announced significant security flaws in these devices which could allow for a range of remote attacks, including triggering a fire hazard by forcing the printer’s fuser to continually heat up.[49]

HP released a firmware update soon after these findings were released.[50] However, Cui and his team claim they found 201 vulnerable HP laser jet printers in the U.S. Department of Defense’s network and two at HP’s headquarters months after the security patch was released.[51]

In 2015, HP licensed Cui’s Symbiote technology to use as a firmware defense against cyber attacks for its LaserJet Enterprise printers and multifunction printers.[52]

Cisco IP Phones

At the 29th Chaos Communication Congress in December 2012, Cui and Solfo presented the findings of their DARPA funded research study, which exposed a vulnerability in Cisco IP phones (CiscoUnified IP Phone 7900 series) that could allow an attacker to turn them into secret bugging devices.[53]

The exploit gained root access to the device’s firmware, which could enable the interception of phone calls. It would also allow an attacker to remotely activate the phone’s microphone in order to eavesdrop on nearby conversations.[54]

Funtenna

At the 2015 Black Hat Briefings cybersecurity conference[55][56], Cui unveiled a firmware exploit called “Funtenna”[57] which manipulates the electronic processes within common devices like printers, phones, and washing machines in order to create radio signals which could secretly transmit data outside of a secure facility[58][59][60][61]. The attack could even work with devices within an air-gapped system.[62][63]

News outlets such as Ars Technica and Motherboard noted Funtenna's potential for turning infected devices into covert spying tools.[64][65]

References

  1. ^ Newman, Lily Hay (2018-01-18). "A New Way to Track Down Bugs Could Help Save IoT". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  2. ^ "Company Overview of Red Balloon Security, Inc". Bloomberg. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
  3. ^ Lim, Dawn. "Startup Red Balloon Security Offers to Protect Printers, Phones, and Other Devices from Hackers". MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  4. ^ http://https://www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/dhs-st-funded-technology-helps-protect-devices-cyber-attacks
  5. ^ http://nsl.cs.columbia.edu/projects/minestrone/papers/Symbiotes.pdf
  6. ^ "The Columbia University Intrusion Detection Systems Lab". ids.cs.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  7. ^ Vamosi, Robert. "Cisco VoIP Phones Affected By On Hook Security Vulnerability". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  8. ^ "Ang Cui | Columbia University - Academia.edu". columbia.academia.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  9. ^ "The Columbia University Intrusion Detection Systems Lab". ids.cs.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  10. ^ Cui, Ang (2015). Embedded System Security: A Software-based Approach (Thesis). Columbia University. doi:10.7916/d8ns0tn9.
  11. ^ Goodin, Dan (2013-01-10). "Hack turns the Cisco phone on your desk into a remote bugging device". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  12. ^ "SEAS Computer Scientists Find Vulnerabilities in Cisco VoIP Phones | Columbia Engineering". engineering.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  13. ^ "How to hack Avaya phones with a simple text editor". Security Affairs. 2015-04-22. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  14. ^ tweet_btn(), Darren Pauli 22 Apr 2015 at 04:31. "Infosec bod's brag: Text editor pops Avaya phones FOREVER". www.theregister.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-03-03.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ "Avaya to Patch Zero Days That Turn IP Phone into Radio Transmitters". threatpost.com. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  16. ^ Stolfo, Salvatore; Kataria, Jatin; Cui, Ang (2011). "Killing the Myth of Cisco IOS Diversity: Recent Advances in Reliable Shellcode Design". doi:10.7916/D8TB1H7N. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  17. ^ Snyder, Chris. "A cybersecurity expert showed us how hackers can tap into an office phone and listen to everything you're saying". Business Insider. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  18. ^ Zetter, Kim (2011-11-29). "Hackers Can Remotely Set Ablaze HP Printers, Researchers Say". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  19. ^ Brodkin, Jon (2011-11-29). "HP printers can be remotely controlled and set on fire, researchers claim (updated)". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  20. ^ http://ids.cs.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/CuiPrintMeIfYouDare.pdf
  21. ^ Welch, Chris (2011-12-24). "HP releases firmware fix for laserjet printer exploit". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  22. ^ Franceschi-Bicchierai, Lorenzo (2015-08-05). "How To Turn a Cheap Printer Into A Stealthy Bugging Device". Motherboard. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  23. ^ "Black Hat USA 2015". www.blackhat.com. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  24. ^ "Black Hat USA 2013". www.blackhat.com. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  25. ^ "Black Hat USA 2012". www.blackhat.com. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  26. ^ "DEF CON® 24 Hacking Conference - Speakers". www.defcon.org. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  27. ^ Franceschi-Bicchierai, Lorenzo (2016-08-06). "Hackers Could Break Into Your Monitor To Spy on You and Manipulate Your Pixels". Motherboard. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  28. ^ "Ang Cui | RSA Conference". www.rsaconference.com. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  29. ^ https://recon.cx/2016/speakers/ang_cui.html
  30. ^ "In the Fast Lane – Auto-ISAC". Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  31. ^ "Ang Cui and Jatin Kataria win Kaspersky Labs American Cup | The Columbia University Intrusion Detection Systems Lab". ids.cs.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  32. ^ "Graduate Fellowship Program | Symantec". www.symantec.com. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  33. ^ "DARPA Rising Event Highlights Emerging Leaders in Science and Technology". www.darpa.mil. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  34. ^ https://www.isao.org/storage/2018/09/IISC-2018-Douglas-Maughan-Re-inventing-Cybersecurity-R-D.pdf
  35. ^ https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/R%26D%20Showcase%20and%20Technical%20Workshop.pdf
  36. ^ https://www.nitrd.gov/nitrdgroups/images/c/c9/Douglas_Maughan_CSD_SVIP.pdf
  37. ^ "Symbiote technology created by Ang Cui and Salvatore Stolfo named one of Popular Science's "Best of What's New" | Department of Computer Science, Columbia University". www.cs.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  38. ^ http://ids.cs.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/paper_2.pdf
  39. ^ https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/1005647.pdf
  40. ^ "(PDF) Defending Embedded Systems with Software Symbiotes". ResearchGate. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  41. ^ "Symbiote Technology to Repair Vulnerable Firmware | SBIR.gov". www.sbir.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  42. ^ Newman, Lily Hay. "Meet the Symbiote: The Ironclad, Adaptable Future of Antivirus Protection". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  43. ^ Choi, Charles Q. "Auto-Immune: "Symbiotes" Could Be Deployed to Thwart Cyber Attacks". Scientific American. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  44. ^ Newman, Lily Hay (2014-03-10). "The Internet of Things Needs Anti-Virus Protection". Slate Magazine. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  45. ^ Wood, Lamont (2016-06-01). "Printer security: Is your company's data really safe?". Computerworld. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  46. ^ Ng, Alfred. "This add-on could save millions of cars from hackers". Roadshow. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  47. ^ "The 9 Most Important Security Innovations Of The Year". Popular Science. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  48. ^ Sullivan, Bob (2011-11-29). "Exclusive: Millions of printers open to devastating hack attack, researchers say". NBC News. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  49. ^ Brodkin, Jon (2011-11-29). "HP printers can be remotely controlled and set on fire, researchers claim (updated)". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  50. ^ Welch, Chris (2011-12-24). "HP releases firmware fix for laserjet printer exploit". The Verge. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  51. ^ Newman, Lily Hay. "Meet the Symbiote: The Ironclad, Adaptable Future of Antivirus Protection". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  52. ^ "DHS S&T Funded Technology Helps Protect Devices from Cyber Attacks". Department of Homeland Security. 2015-11-03. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  53. ^ Storm, Darlene (2013-01-08). "Remotely listen in via hacked VoIP phones: Cisco working on eavesdropping patch". Computerworld. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  54. ^ Goodin, Dan (2013-01-10). "Hack turns the Cisco phone on your desk into a remote bugging device". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  55. ^ "Black Hat USA 2015". www.blackhat.com. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  56. ^ Blue, Violet. "Black Hat 2015: Cool talks, hot threat intel". ZDNet. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  57. ^ Funtenna P0C code demonstrated at Blackhat 2015. Contribute to funtenna/funtenna_2015 development by creating an account on GitHub, funtenna, 2019-01-07, retrieved 2019-03-03
  58. ^ Newman, Lily Hay (2015-08-05). "A Printer That Sings Your Data for Hackers to Hear". Slate. ISSN 1091-2339. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  59. ^ "Hackers can remotely bug almost ANY machine". Mail Online. 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  60. ^ Pagliery, Jose (2015-08-05). "How your washing machine can steal computer files". CNNMoney. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  61. ^ "Funtenna Malware Takes to the Airwaves to Steal Data". eWEEK. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  62. ^ Gallagher, Sean (2015-08-06). ""Funtenna" software hack turns a laser printer into a covert radio". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  63. ^ "This Antenna Can Remotely Steal Data From Devices using Sound Waves". The Hacker News. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  64. ^ Gallagher, Sean (2015-08-06). ""Funtenna" software hack turns a laser printer into a covert radio". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
  65. ^ Franceschi-Bicchierai, Lorenzo (2015-08-05). "How To Turn a Cheap Printer Into A Stealthy Bugging Device". Motherboard. Retrieved 2019-03-03.
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